ANTHONY WRIGHT
Quarterback
1994 / 1998
Vanceboro, NC
Biography
Rated the number seven quarterback in America by SuperPrep, Wright won the Gatorade Player of the Year award for North Carolina and participated in the 1993 Shrine Bowl following his senior year. A cousin of former N.C. State and Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Jesse Campbell, Wright and Florida State QB Charlie Ward forged a relationship that benefitted USC in recruiting, as new Gamecock coach Brad Scott had been Ward’s offensive coordinator at FSU. Wright picked the Gamecocks over North Carolina in the end and redshirted his first season on campus. He and Chad Barnhardt competed throughout the 1995 season to be the top backup to Steve Taneyhill and then into the spring of 1996 to take over the number one signal-caller spot. Wright won the job and the Joe Morrison Award for best offensive performer of the spring. He came out of the gates fast, beating Daunte Culpepper and Central Florida in the season opener, and then completing 18 of 24 for 224 yards and a TD to beat Georgia. He racked up a season high 351 yards in a loss to Mississippi State, including a 77-yard scoring pass to Corey Bridges. Also a winner of the team’s George Terry Best Attitude Award in ’96, Wright struggled towards the end of the season against Florida and Clemson, but started the ’97 season strong, again beating Culpepper and UCF while passing for 266 yards and 3 scores while also rushing for a touchdown. He was blossoming, eliminating turnovers and leading USC to a 5-3 record when disaster struck and he suffered a season-ending knee injury in an eventual loss to Tennessee. Wright was given the Steve Wadiak MVP award for his performance that season.

Things looked okay at the start of 1998 as Wright through for 3 touchdowns in a season-opening win over Ball State, but a Gamecock squad that was undermanned and was in the final year of the Brad Scott era failed to win again that season. Wright did have some nice games that season, throwing for more than 250 yards against Marshall (280), Mississippi (307) and Vanderbilt (279). Despite being undrafted he made the Dallas Cowboys as a backup and played ten seasons in the NFL, including leading the Baltimore Ravens to the playoffs in 2003. Wright played with the Cowboys, Ravens, Bengals and Giants, totaling 3,590 passing yards.
Prior Schools
SchoolLocation


Roster Listings
YearRosterNumPosHtWtYrGmsGS
1994 Program vs Mississippi State 1 QB 6-2 185 Fr 0 0
1995 Media Guide 1 QB 6-2 187 RFr 0 0
1996 Program vs Georgia 1 QB 6-2 192 So 11 11
1997 Lindy's 1997 Annual 1 QB 6-2 192 Jr
1997 Auburn 1997 1 QB 6-2 192 Jr 9 9
1998 Media Guide 1 QB 6-2 188 Sr
9999 Gamecock Archives All-Time By # 1 QB 6-2 188 0 0
1998 Fall 1998 1 QB 6-2 188 Sr 11 11
Depth Chart Appearances
DescriptionPositionRank
1995 Media Guide Quarterback 2nd String
9/2/1995 vs Georgia Quarterback 2nd String
9/14/1996 vs Georgia Quarterback Starter
1998 Media Guide Quarterback Starter
Honors
AwardYear
1993 Shrine Bowl
1996 George Terry Best Attitude
1997 Steve Wadiak MVP
Recruiting Rankings and Honors
SourcePositionRank
Athlon's Elite 50 QB
BlueChip Illustrated National Top 100 ALL 59
BlueChip Illustrated National Top 100 QB 9
Max Emfinger All-Americans ATH 4
Max Eminger Eastern Seabord Blue Chips QB
Passing
YearAttComPctYdsYPATDIntI%3D Att3D Conv%NEWSRtg
1995 27 17 63.0 207 7.67 2 1 3.7 127.53
1996 244 131 53.7 1850 7.58 8 6 2.5 117.44
1997 252 139 55.2 1685 6.69 18 5 2.0 111.52
1998 273 145 53.1 1899 6.96 10 10 3.7 23 43.5 6.06 111.59
Tot 796 432 54.3 5641 7.09 38 22 2.8 92 43.5 113.90
Red Zone Passing
YearAttComCom%YdsTDIntI%3D Att3D C%
1997 9 5 55.6 49 3 0 0.0 3 66.7
1998 28 12 42.9 103 7 0 0.0 11 36.4
Passing by Receiver
YearQBRec Throws Com% Yds 1D TD Success Rate
1995
Zola Davis 1 3 33.3 37 1 1 33.33
Kerry Hood 2 3 66.7 20 2 0 66.67
Duce Staley 2 2 100.0 29 2 0 100.00
Darryl Nicklow 2 2 100.0 7 0 0 0.00
Corey Bridges 2 2 100.0 22 0 0 50.00
Chris Alford 0 1 0.0 0 0 0 0.00
Marcus Robinson 1 1 100.0 14 1 0 100.00
Mike Reddick 1 1 100.0 14 1 1 100.00
1997
Jermale Kelly 29 51 56.9 405 16 7 54.90
Kerry Hood 19 42 45.2 235 11 4 33.33
Zola Davis 22 38 57.9 249 14 1 52.63
Calvin Owens 9 18 50.0 101 4 0 38.89
Boo Williams 14 16 87.5 172 8 1 75.00
Troy Hambrick 12 15 80.0 101 8 0 60.00
Ben Fleming 6 9 66.7 101 5 0 66.67
Shah Mays 5 9 55.6 68 3 0 55.56
Steve Mixon 4 5 80.0 22 2 0 40.00
Trevon Matthews 2 4 50.0 37 1 1 50.00
Scott Moritz 2 3 66.7 8 0 0 33.33
Jacob Bush 2 3 66.7 34 1 0 33.33
Trey Pennington 0 1 0.0 0 0 0 0.00
1998
Zola Davis 39 69 56.5 610 27 2 55.07
Jermale Kelly 32 58 55.2 409 20 1 44.83
Ben Fleming 17 28 60.7 257 12 1 57.14
Troy Hambrick 17 23 73.9 142 3 0 30.43
Kerry Hood 11 23 47.8 96 6 1 43.48
Boo Williams 17 23 73.9 226 9 1 47.83
Steve Mixon 5 9 55.6 72 5 0 55.56
Shah Mays 1 7 14.3 45 1 0 14.29
Antione Nesmith 4 5 80.0 37 2 0 40.00
Trevon Matthews 1 2 50.0 2 0 1 50.00
Carlos Spikes 1 2 50.0 3 0 0 0.00
Trey Pennington 0 1 0.0 0 0 0 0.00
Brian Scott 0 1 0.0 0 0 0 0.00
Donovan Norman 0 1 0.0 0 0 0 0.00
Rushing
YearAttYdsAvgTD
1995 11 7 0.6 0
1996 97 90 0.9 3
1997 78 56 0.7 1
1998 79 56 0.7 3
Tot 265 209 0.8 7
Rushing from Play-by-Play
YearAttYdsAvg1DNeg RushNR%Stuff%10+ Yds10+ %20+ Yds3D Conv%TD
1997 21 99 4.7 7 1 47.62 23.8 3 14.3 0 50.0 1
1998 55 233 4.2 25 8 38.18 29.1 9 16.4 2 77.8 3
Receiving
YearRecYdsAvgTDCom%1DCDTCD%BP%
1996 1 -6 -6.0 0
Tot 1 -6 -6.0 0
Success Rate from Official Play-By-Play Stats
YearPass PlaysPass SRPass SPPRush PlaysRush SRRush SPPRecv PlaysRecv SRRecv SPPRecv FC%Tot SPPSPP/Play
1995 17 47.10 21.74 6 33.30 -21.6 0 0.14 0.01
1997 225 47.60 249.87 59 37.30 1.43 0 251.3 0.88
1998 273 44.30 294.87 80 42.50 11.39 0 306.26 0.87
Games Started
DateOpponentPosition
1996-09-07 Central Florida Quarterback
1996-09-14 Georgia Quarterback
1996-09-21 East Carolina Quarterback
1996-09-28 Mississippi State Quarterback
1996-10-05 Auburn Quarterback
1996-10-12 Kentucky Quarterback
1996-10-19 Arkansas Quarterback
1996-10-26 Vanderbilt Quarterback
1996-11-02 Tennessee Quarterback
1996-11-16 Florida Quarterback
1996-11-23 Clemson Quarterback
1997-09-06 Central Florida Quarterback
1997-09-13 Georgia Quarterback
1997-09-20 East Carolina Quarterback
1997-09-27 Mississippi State Quarterback
1997-10-04 Auburn Quarterback
1997-10-11 Kentucky Quarterback
1997-10-18 Arkansas Quarterback
1997-10-25 Vanderbilt Quarterback
1997-11-01 Tennessee Quarterback
1998-09-05 Ball State Quarterback
1998-09-12 Georgia Quarterback
1998-09-19 Marshall Quarterback
1998-09-26 Mississippi State Quarterback
1998-10-03 Mississippi Quarterback
1998-10-10 Kentucky Quarterback
1998-10-17 Arkansas Quarterback
1998-10-24 Vanderbilt Quarterback
1998-10-31 Tennessee Quarterback
1998-11-14 Florida Quarterback
1998-11-21 Clemson Quarterback
Single Game Rushing Stats
SeasonGame DateOpponentAttYdsTD
1996 1996-09-07 Central Florida 3 18 0
1996-09-14 Georgia 8 -2 0
1996-09-21 East Carolina 11 0 0
1996-09-28 Mississippi State 7 -50 0
1996-10-05 Auburn 15 18 0
1996-10-12 Kentucky 8 21 0
1996-10-19 Arkansas 8 12 0
1996-10-26 Vanderbilt 3 -19 0
1996-11-02 Tennessee 11 18 0
1996-11-16 Florida 12 30 2
1996-11-23 Clemson 11 44 0
1997 1997-09-06 Central Florida 6 25 1
1997-09-13 Georgia 10 -16 0
1997-09-20 East Carolina 12 21 0
1997-09-27 Mississippi State 7 6 0
1997-10-04 Auburn 9 -48 0
1997-10-11 Kentucky 11 63 0
1997-10-18 Arkansas 8 8 0
1997-10-25 Vanderbilt 8 16 0
1997-11-01 Tennessee 6 -27 0
1998 1998-09-05 Ball State 5 46 0
1998-09-12 Georgia 7 -15 0
1998-09-19 Marshall 8 18 1
1998-09-26 Mississippi State 7 -31 0
1998-10-03 Mississippi 14 39 1
1998-10-10 Kentucky 5 -16 0
1998-10-17 Arkansas 10 -2 0
1998-10-24 Vanderbilt 6 -29 0
1998-10-31 Tennessee 1 -3 0
1998-11-14 Florida 5 30 0
1998-11-21 Clemson 11 19 1
Single Game Passing Stats
SeasonGame DateOpponentAttComYdsTDInt
1995 1995-09-02 Georgia 1 1 14 0 0
1995-09-09 Arkansas 3 1 9 0 1
1995-09-16 Louisiana Tech 3 2 20 0 0
1995-10-07 Kent State 7 6 88 2 0
1995-10-14 Mississippi State 1 1 15 0 0
1995-10-21 Vanderbilt 4 3 38 0 0
1995-10-28 Tennessee 4 1 4 0 0
1995-11-11 Florida 3 1 3 0 0
1995-11-18 Clemson 1 1 16 0 0
1996 1996-09-07 Central Florida 19 12 236 1 0
1996-09-14 Georgia 29 18 224 1 0
1996-09-21 East Carolina 22 13 127 0 1
1996-09-28 Mississippi State 36 16 351 1 2
1996-10-05 Auburn 27 20 271 2 0
1996-10-12 Kentucky 24 15 129 1 0
1996-10-19 Arkansas 14 6 84 1 1
1996-10-26 Vanderbilt 8 2 28 0 1
1996-11-02 Tennessee 22 15 166 1 0
1996-11-16 Florida 18 7 114 0 0
1996-11-23 Clemson 25 7 120 0 1
1997 1997-09-06 Central Florida 41 23 266 3 0
1997-09-13 Georgia 40 21 275 2 2
1997-09-20 East Carolina 21 10 137 2 1
1997-09-27 Mississippi State 38 24 266 2 1
1997-10-04 Auburn 35 20 178 0 0
1997-10-11 Kentucky 27 15 223 3 0
1997-10-18 Arkansas 21 15 188 4 1
1997-10-25 Vanderbilt 25 10 134 2 0
1997-11-01 Tennessee 4 1 18 0 0
1998 1998-09-05 Ball State 21 14 180 3 0
1998-09-12 Georgia 16 6 29 0 2
1998-09-19 Marshall 33 19 280 1 2
1998-09-26 Mississippi State 14 4 77 0 0
1998-10-03 Mississippi 40 26 307 2 1
1998-10-10 Kentucky 29 11 219 1 0
1998-10-17 Arkansas 27 14 170 2 1
1998-10-24 Vanderbilt 36 23 279 1 0
1998-10-31 Tennessee 13 7 109 0 1
1998-11-14 Florida 20 11 97 0 1
1998-11-21 Clemson 24 10 152 0 2
Scoring Plays
DateOpponentQtrTimeUSCOppPlay
1995-10-07 Kent State 3 04:48 56 0 Zola Davis, 37-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Reed Morton kick)
1995-10-07 Kent State 3 03:43 63 0 Mike Reddick, 14-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Reed Morton kick)
1996-09-07 Central Florida 1 00:07 23 7 Marcus Robinson, 7-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-09-14 Georgia 1 06:32 7 0 Corey Bridges, 22-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-09-28 Mississippi State 2 14:48 7 0 Corey Bridges, 77-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-10-05 Auburn 1 01:18 7 0 Anthony Wright, 5-yd run (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-10-05 Auburn 3 11:03 14 14 Calvin Owens, 2-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-10-05 Auburn 3 06:22 21 14 Ben Fleming, 22-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-10-12 Kentucky 3 01:42 11 14 Duce Staley, 1-yd run (Jason Lawson pass from Anthony Wright)
1996-10-12 Kentucky 4 03:16 25 14 Corey Bridges, 27-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-10-19 Arkansas 2 02:02 14 10 Zola Davis, 8-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-11-02 Tennessee 3 04:23 14 21 Trevon Matthews, 2-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1996-11-16 Florida 1 08:57 6 0 Anthony Wright, 7-yd run (kick failed)
1996-11-16 Florida 2 09:59 12 21 Anthony Wright, 8-yd run (run failed)
1997-09-06 Central Florida 1 08:10 7 7 Kerry Hood, 21-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-09-06 Central Florida 2 12:34 14 7 Kerry Hood, 32-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-09-06 Central Florida 3 04:33 20 24 Anthony Wright, 3-yd run (kick blocked)
1997-09-06 Central Florida 4 07:54 33 24 Jermale Kelly, 6-yd pass from Anthony Wright (kick failed)
1997-09-13 Georgia 1 06:46 6 7 Zola Davis, 19-yd pass from Anthony Wright (kick failed)
1997-09-13 Georgia 4 13:39 12 31 Jermale Kelly, 19-yd pass from Anthony Wright (pass failed)
1997-09-20 East Carolina 1 05:16 10 0 Kerry Hood, 41-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-09-20 East Carolina 2 00:21 17 0 Jacob Bush, 20-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-09-27 Mississippi State 2 10:22 10 7 Kerry Hood, 21-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-09-27 Mississippi State 2 00:21 17 17 Zola Davis, 10-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-10-11 Kentucky 2 08:42 14 14 Kerry Hood, 12-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-10-11 Kentucky 3 00:43 31 24 Jermale Kelly, 26-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-10-11 Kentucky 4 06:13 38 24 Jermale Kelly, 26-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-10-18 Arkansas 1 02:11 6 0 Trevon Matthews, 30-yd pass from Anthony Wright (kick failed)
1997-10-18 Arkansas 2 02:27 18 7 Jermale Kelly, 21-yd pass from Anthony Wright (pass failed)
1997-10-18 Arkansas 3 05:11 25 13 Boo Williams, 45-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-10-18 Arkansas 4 07:54 39 13 Jermale Kelly, 5-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-10-25 Vanderbilt 2 03:23 14 0 Jermale Kelly, 13-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1997-10-25 Vanderbilt 4 10:00 35 3 Jermale Kelly, 8-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Steve Florio kick)
1998-09-05 Ball State 1 11:13 7 0 Zola Davis, 9-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-09-05 Ball State 1 05:22 14 0 Steve Mixon, 15-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-09-05 Ball State 2 12:50 21 7 Jermale Kelly, 11-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-09-19 Marshall 2 03:20 10 7 Anthony Wright, 1-yd run (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-09-19 Marshall 4 11:38 17 21 Kerry Hood, 8-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-10-03 Mississippi 2 12:20 14 7 Zola Davis, 16-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-10-03 Mississippi 2 00:36 21 16 Jermale Kelly, 9-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-10-03 Mississippi 4 10:57 28 24 Anthony Wright, 13-yd run (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-10-10 Kentucky 2 06:36 14 7 Boo Williams, 62-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-10-17 Arkansas 1 08:07 7 0 Ben Fleming, 17-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-10-17 Arkansas 4 04:25 28 41 Trevon Matthews, 2-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-10-24 Vanderbilt 2 10:34 14 7 Zola Davis, 27-yd pass from Anthony Wright (Courtney Leavitt kick)
1998-11-21 Clemson 1 10:41 7 0 Anthony Wright, 4-yd run (Courtney Leavitt kick)